Donald Trump was recently interviewed on Good Morning America about the current housing market. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Story?id=5562889&page=1 Mr Trump believes this is a great opportunity to buy, and I agree not because Im a Realtor, because I believe in making my clients into millionaires. The rich and the wealthy have alway historically taken advantage of a down market. Donald Trump has always done this. The Rockefellers did this as well.  This is how they build wealth and accumulate assets by buying cheap and maximizing the power of thier dollar! While many are scared of the market right now, I have many investor clients taking advantage at this very moment and are poising themselves to become future millionaires by investing in the market when they can get more for thier dollar ... 08/13/2008

In many areas of Houston metro including the suburbs like Sugar Land, Pearland, and Katy we are experiencing a buyer's market. Home prices are down or not increasing, and homes are sitting on the market longer before selling. So I've got some easy and relatively inexpensive tips for homeowners to get their homes sold quickly and for top dollar. 1. Curb appeal - Everyone know that first impression are important, and this rings true when your home is up for sale. Make sure lawn is well groomed and green. I always encourage people to buy some inexpensive flowers or colorful foliage to make the yard attractive. Also take a good look at the entryway. Make sure it is scrubbed clean, all metal items are polished up, and make sure it is well lit. Powerwashing dingy driveways and walkways is als... 07/30/2008

Sugar Land City Council has approved a resolution that encourages members of Congress to change their flood insurance mandate. Ths is an effort to keep higher insurance costs off of Sugar Land home and business owners. The $45 million the county and levee districts have invested in improvements were designed to exceed FEMA guidelines. When the requirement for all FEMA guidelines came out, all levee districts in Fort Bend County got together and raised their levees to the standard and one foot above. Now they come back and say the insurance is mandatory. It could impact some neighborhoods up to $2,500 per household. Currently there are two bills, one passed by the House, the other by the Senate, that conference committees will meet on to get one bill both bodies can agree on passed. Hous... 07/29/2008

Fort Bend County reps lobbied the Federal Emergency Management Administration for a deadline extension on data that may reduce the need for flood insurance to thousands of Fort Bend County residents. A meeting in Washington D.C, allowed an agreement to extend a September deadline on the revised mapping that could ensure that Fort Bend residents living behind levees won't have to secure expensive flood insurance. Local representatives believe the new and existing levees can be fully certified to 100 year flood elevation protection by FEMA once the preliminary revised maps are published. Local residents will have to wait until the publication of the new maps to determine their status within the flood plain.   Over the past two years, Fort Bend County has worked with FEMA to update the cou... 07/29/2008

If you are anything like me, you left your digital camera settings on the default. So you are taking large format image sizes in high resolution. Then when you transfer or upload the large image files onto websites such as the local MLS, forums, or blogs you may get the infamous "little red x" where the picture should be because the file was too large.   If you are anything like me you overdo things and use Adobe Photoshop to open each of the images to resize them and adjust resolutions to condense the file size so they are more internet friendly. Then resaving them in the new size and format one by one. Our agent services director at our office showed me a great little download from our local MLS website HAR.com that just made my life alot easier. Its an image resizer tool that we can ... 07/26/2008

I just wanted to take a moment to not only thank our sponsors and donors mentioned before for making The Morris Mingle such a great and successful event, but the many others who need to be recognized who worked behind the scenes to make this such a great event.   I want to thank Kelly, Mark, and the staff at The Vineyard in Sugar Land Town Center for allowing us to host the event at thier place and for graciously providing great service to the many guests and friends who arrived. I want to thank Aimee Montgomery of Land America Title for helping out so much. Aimee has helped us every step of the way to support John. She helped distribute invitations and flyers, spread the word, volunteered, shared ideas and thoughts, and donated in so many ways. Not to mention she was the leading raffle... 07/25/2008

The Morris Mingle was a successful event with a great turnout this week. First I would really like to thank The Vineyards at Sugar Land Town Center for graciously hosting our event and their wonderful staff for taking care of our guests. Kelly and Mark provided an elegant venue and the perfect environment, and donated to the John Morris fund. Here is a list of donors and sponsors who provided prizes at our event: Pearl Elegance donated two custom designed fashion necklaces by Nikki Ann Ramsey also a Keller Williams Realtor. Laura Miller of Keller Williams donated an autographed Joseph Addai Indianapolis Colts football helmet Laura Miller of Keller Williams: Moet White Star wine Riverstone Development in Missouri City: donated two $50 Chipotle Gift Certificate Live Oak Grill at 12935 Dai... 07/24/2008

Here are more photos of the successful event we celebrated at The Vineyard in Sugar Land Town Center. Thanks to them CaringRealtors.org had a beautiful space to host the benefit event. The staff at The Vineyards did an excellent job serving the crowd of hundreds that showed up to support John Morris. Just some of the many great items donated by our vendors for the raffle drawings every 15 minutes! H&H Music donated thier time to provided live entertainment and great songs all night to our guests! The crowd and guests enjoyed the live music and dancing in the beautiful lounge area! Judy Kay on of the MC's for the evening thanks our guests and volunteers  Guests also enjoyed wine in the courtyard at Sugar Land Town Center as the crowd expanded outside 07/23/2008

So did you get to join us for The Morris Mingle at The Vineyard in Sugar Land Town Center? It was a spectacular event, with hundreds showing up to support and rally for John Morris a dear friend, inspiration, and mentor to me. The crowd packed The Vineyard to full capacity within an hour, then overflowed into the courtyard. Many of our vendors and sponsors came with even more donations and items, and graciously helped us with the frenzy of raffle ticket buyers. Here are some photos of the event. I'll be following up with a list to thank our donors. Our CaringRealtors.org committee members selling raffle tickets The Vineyard at Sugar Land Town Center filled up quickly The great staff at The Vineyard kept our guests refreshed with a great selection of beverages Special thanks to The Viney... 07/23/2008

The event is finally here! Please come out and join us for The Morris Mingle at Sugar Land Town Center July 22, 2008 from 5:30 to 8pm. The Vineyard is graciously hosting our event to support a Realtor in need. We hope you can come out to enjoy the live band, wine, raffle, and the social event. Everyone is invited, our entire family of Realtors in the community. Our title companies that have generously supported this cause, mortgage lenders, home warranty companies, home builders, inspectors, local news media, clients, the public, everyone please join us to show our support and raise funds to help a Realtor continue getting the treatments he needs to get well.   Thanks to everyone who is contributing and volunteering to make this event a great success. Thanks to our donors and sponsors, ... 07/21/2008

As discussed by council member Daniel Wong a few months ago Sugar Land is exploring the possibility of an indoor entertainment venue to help it develop as a regional entertainment destination. The venue would be built in an entertainment district planned for about 1,000 undeveloped acres next to the University of Houston System at Sugar Land and the Telfair development. An indoor concert venue in Sugar Land would hold an estimated 65 events its first year, with an attendance of 192,000. Within five years, the venue could hold 150 events drawing about 500,000. Sugar Land could expect to collect about $200,000 in tax revenue as the venue is being built and to see roughly 920 new jobs and $52 million in total economic activity once completed. Construction of the venue would cost about $85... 07/08/2008

As many know I have been involved in this cause to help a fellow Realtor who is fighting cancer. John is a great friend and mentor to me. One of the reasons why I joined Keller Williams was because of the impression John Morris made on me. Please join us for a night at Sugar Land Town Center at The Vineyard for "The Morris Mingle". Everyone is invited to this event including all agents, consumers, vendors, and the general public. This is a great opportunity and cause. The proceeds will benefit the John Morris Fund so that John can continue to pay for his treatments to get better. Thanks to Khanh Vo and Patsy Strikeleather of Keller Williams for coordinating with the generous people at The Vineyards to host this event. There will be live music, raffle drawings for some great prizes, and ... 07/08/2008

Mike's Neighorhood Report for The Highlands (July 2008) The Highlands is located in the acclaimed City of Sugar Land. A master planned community of homes in First Colony which began construction in 1979. Located off Williams Trace near Lexington, The Highlands consists of 4 sections. The Highlands is convenient to Highway 6 and Highway 59. This subdivision is surrounded by retail and restuarants, and is surrounded by subdivisions such as Edgewater, Sugar Wood, and Englewood Place. Currently there are only 8 homes on the market for July.    6 available   1 option pending   1 pending sales   2 rental available 2422  Long Reach Drive FOR SALE CONTACT MIKE WONG FOR DETAILS 2506 Coopers Post FOR SALE CONTACT MIKE WONG 713.935.5800 2627 The Hihglands Drive FOR SALE CALL MIKE FOR A PREVIEW  26... 06/29/2008

  Sugar Land City Council reviewed an update on the department's red-light cameras. After six months of using the cameras in 4 locations in Sugar Land, the department is reporting a 26 percent decrease in the number of red-light violations. The cameras take pictures and video of cars that cross into the intersection after the light turns red. Those images are then sent to the car owner and a $75 ticket is issued. The cameras have been used to issue more than 10,000 tickets, according to the Sugar Land Police Department. The city has reported a collection rate of about 65 percent on those tickets. City Council has proposed an ordinance requiring residents to pay those tickets before being allowed to renew their car registration. The gross revenue collected to date is more than $513,000 a... 06/28/2008

Landmark Apartments at Chelsea Harbor Sugar Land Representatives from the Chelsea Harbor Homeowner's Association asked Fort Bend County Commissioners to delay a replat request that will allow Landmark at Sugar Land Apartments to construct 8 more units along FM 1464. Landmark at Sugar Land currently consists o 10 buildings with 8 units each totaling 80 units. The expansion would bring the development to 144 units. Residents are concerned over an increase in crime and traffic problems related to the apartments. Representatives of the Chelsea Harbour HOA, said the subdivision is experiencing traffic congestion along FM 1464 that will get worse if high-density apartments are built in the area and said there had already been an increase in crime since the first project was built. There are c... 06/22/2008

June 22, 2008 Mike's Neighorhood Report for Colony Cove (June 2008) Colony Cove is located in the acclaimed City of Sugar Land. A small community of 28 homes in First Colony which began construction in 1999. Located off Austin Parkway near Grants Lake and Lexington, Colony Cove is convenient to Highway 6 and Highway 59. This subdivision is surrounded by retail and restuarants, and features lake front homes. Currently there are only 3 homes on the market for June.    3 available   0 option pending   0 pending sales   0 rental available 3111 Monet Drive FOR SALE CONTACT MIKE WONG FOR DETAILS 3007 Old Masters Drive FOR SALE CONTACT MIKE WONG 713.935.5800 3011 Old Masters Drive FOR SALE CALL MIKE FOR A PREVIEW Since Jan 1, 2008: There has been 1 home sold in Colony Cove. Average square foot... 06/22/2008

June 20, 2008 Mike's Neighorhood Report for Englewood Place (June 2008) Englewood Place is located in First Colony of the acclaimed City of Sugar Land. Located off the highly accessible Williams Trace near Lexington, Englewood Place is convenient to Highway 6 and Highway 59. This subdivision is surrounded by retail and restuarants, and features a walking trail along Oyster Creek. This is a cozy little neighborhood convenient to everything feauturing the most recent constuction in the area of its immediate surrounding neighborhoods. Englewood Place is nieghbored by The Highlands, Sugar Wood, Sugar Creek, and Sugar Lakes. Currently there are only 3 homes on the market for June.    3 available   0 option pending   0 pending sales   1 rental available15310 Truslow Point FOR SALE Call Mike f... 06/20/2008

June 20, 2008 Mike's Neighorhood Report for Lakefield (June 2008) Currently there are 7 homes on the market for June.    7 available   0 option pending   1 pending sales   5 rentals available 4403 Alamo Ave FOR SALE4403 Treasure Trail FOR SALE 4514 Treasure Trail FOR SALE 4527 Treasure Trail FOR SALE2438 Lakefield Way FOR SALE 5 homes in the neighborhood are available for rent. Average monthly rate is $1,300 for the neighborhood. For more information to list your home for lease or visit a home for lease contact Mike. Listed price ranges from $126,699 up to $249,000 for current homes on the market. Since Jan 1, 2008: There have been 3 homes sold in Lakefield. Average square footage of sold properties is about 1400 sf.  Actual sold price ranges were from $120,000 up to $155,000Average hom... 06/20/2008

Foreclosures in Harris County Rise This Year As we know, Houston is not immune to national trends and news because we are an important part of the national economy.. Foreclosures were up 16% for the first six months of the year in Harris County. That is a stable number considering the national reported average was as increase of 48% as I mentioned in my blog: Forclosure filings increase. For 2007, foreclosures jumped 24% percent from 2006 in Harris County, still only half of the national average. Foreclosures slipped in June to 1,034, from 1,119 during the same month last year, indicating the rate of foreclosures may be moderating in Harris County. Houston is not immume but we are very resilient to the national crisis. Remember real estate is a local market. Our prices are dfferent than... 06/18/2008

Part 2 of 3 Mistakes Rookie Investors Make in Real Estate to help my clients and investors out there avoid costly mistakes. Look for Part 3 comming soon covering commercial investments. 6. Ducking due diligence Investors often have to move quickly on their deals. That doesn't mean they sign a contract and write a check without plenty of research, though. That's where a lot of newbies trip up, says Houston real-estate agent Laolu Davies-Yemitan. They don't do their due diligence about the deal, the costs or the market conditions, and they wind up draining their personal savings because the house needs extensive repairs or they can't sell it. "Sometimes, new investors are buying property just based on the idea that the property is going to appreciate," he says. "Usually, they don't have a... 06/15/2008